Pictures and from www.brooksrunnnig.com
Steve Barlow
Oliver Wendell Holmes HS
"When you finish and come up to me all excited, that's my reward," acknowledged Steve Barlow.
WHY: After leaving his native Australia to run in the U.S., Coach Steve Barlow established roots in Texas and decided to invest back in his chosen sport. "I'm here to help the kids. The only thing I get out of it (coaching) is helping kids run well. Kids want to come back every day, that's the payoff. If a kid doesn't want to be there, that's OK, it's not for everybody. But we want to keep everyone around." Coach Barlow enjoys the shared experience of running; he likes how everyone suffers and experiences joy together. "In cross country, you all have the same cause. You all go through the same pain. That means you have something in common. That means you don't have to be the best, because you all experience the same thing." Several years ago, Steve began a fundraiser run where he ran around the high school campus during the entire school day - 8+ hours - to raise funds for local charities. "We started the Run-a-Thon as a fundraiser for our team, years ago. We had this program called Communities In Schools (CIS). For a week before the race, we collect change and pledges. Up until last year, I ran it all myself, but I want the kids to run it and have ownership. They serve 100 families, partly because of what we do. It's more about just giving back. What do we live for, what do we do this for? We get pats on the back, but what about people who don't get anything?" Coach Steve Barlow understands the impact a good coach and mentor can have on a community of runners. He's decided that modeling an example of self-sacrifice, hard work and teamwork is how he can inspire future generations of runners. (Info from www.brooksrunnnig.com)